Thomas Hobbes 1588-1679 - traditional

Key Thinkers Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) - traditional -Order - an ordered society should balance the human need to lead a free life.-Human nature - humans are needy, vulnerable and easily led astray in attempts to understand the world around them.-Founder – works ‘ leviathan’ in response to anarchy -Humans are selfish, absolute monarchy -Humans are rational enough to seek order which is achieved through social contract to give up freedom to sovereign -No individual autonomy -‘Humans are driven by a perpetual and restless desire of power’.   Edmund Burke (1729-1797) - traditional conservative -Change - political change should be undertaken with great caution and organically.-Tradition and empiricism - practices passed down for generations should be respected.-Opposed revolution as it discarded empiricism and tradition for rationalism -Humans are imperfect, organic society which must change to conserve based on evidence and customs -Noblesse oblige – hierarchy and aristocracy at top as they were wiser.Limited monarchy with representative government -Laissez faire economics -‘change to conserve’ Michael Oakeshott (1901-1990) -Human imperfection - suggestion that society is unpredictable, and humans are imperfect.-Pragmatism - belief that conservatism is about being pragmatic.-Empiricism instead of rationalism – decisions based on evidence ‘politics of faith’ -Shouldn’t try and manage the state based on rationalism and government should intervene based on evidence and pragmatism – free market and limited involvement as humans are intellectually imperfect -Organics society with traditions, customs and communities -‘the politics of scepticism’ if people try to fix economy based on ideas– they will fail Ayn Rand (1905-1982) -neo -Objectivism - this advocates the virtues of rational self-interest.-Freedom - this supports a pure, laissez-faire capitalist economy.-Atomistic society with no taxation so opposed welfare -Free market and minimal state but didn’t want moral interference on traditional values such as on abortion/homosexuality -Rolled back state with limited role Robert Nozick (1938-2002) -neo liberal -Libertarianism - based on Kant's idea that individuals in society cannot be treated as a thing or used against their will as a resource.

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